Hostage
by Venka le fay
Summary: Donatello has been captured by the Shredder. If the other turtles don't surrender Splinter and April with in 24 hours, they could lose him forever. Will Donnie be rescued in time?
1. Abduction

Hostage

By Venka Le Fay

I don't own TMNT or any of it's incarnations. I have nothing to gain financially by writing this fic, it is only for my personal enjoyment and for the enjoyment of TMNT fans everywhere.

* * *

Leo yawned and opened his eyes. He had this overwhelming feeling of unease, but he couldn't place it. Glancing at the other side of the room, he wasn't surprised to find his younger brothers tatami mat neatly made, but un-slept in. That only meant one thing; Donnie was in probably in his lab. The older turtle huffed an annoyed sigh as he sat up and tied on his eye mask. As much as he didn't mind the quiet and seclusion, sometimes he just felt for all the time Donatello spent in his lab, he may as well move into it.

"What's the point of having a room mate, if the person sharing the room doesn't even live there?" Leo grumbled as he got up. The lair was filled with an odd quiet, one door down he could hear Raph snoring like a chainsaw. Which was accompanied with the sound of Mikey burbling in his sleep.

"Mmmmm," Mikey sighed as he rolled over, "I love this world, of pizza. And I can have any pizza I want…um yum a teriyaki chicken and barbeque pizza tree. A shrimp and sardine pizza bush…Pepperoni flowers."

April slept in the room on the other side of Leo and Donnie's room. She had adjusted into her new living space quite well. After she had agreed to staying with them, She had requested that she be able to return to her apartment so she could pack and inform her aunt that she would be staying with friends from that point on. They reluctantly allowed this because they didn't want to have any missing persons reports filed on her while she was taking up residence in the city's sewer system. And they didn't want the Kraag or the Foot clan paying her Aunt any unexpected visits.

April's school was a little easier to convince, as she had been informing her friends at school that her father was visiting Europe. So it was a little matter of Donatello hacking into April's fathers, personal email address. And sending an emailing a note to school informing that her continued absence was due to her father wanting her to join her in Ireland for the remainder of the school year.

Ever since she had moved in the four brother had been going out of their way to make her feel welcome, but let her have her space since this was a huge change for her. It truth it was as awkward for them as it was for her. Living is a house hold of five guys for 15 years, they had no idea of how a girl really behaved, or lived. All they really knew for certain about females was that they were different. Mikey had made the mistake of running into April's room the first morning April woke up in their lair. Which resulted in a huge commotion that nearly ended in the other three brothers getting a good look at April in nothing but her undergarments. Raph was naturally the only one who found any amusement in the situation.

Leo was nice enough to make it up to her by bringing her breakfast. And Donatello being the well meaning though easily flustered guy that he was, offered accommodations such as setting up a private shower area for her to installing a security system. April naturally appreciated the gesture, but had declined by saying she was a guest in their lair and she wanted to interrupt their lives as little as possible.

Walking to through the lairs common area to the closed metal double doors that served as Donnie's lab. Even though the door was closed, it was oddly silent in the other room. Even this late into the night, there was usually the sound of the purple masked turtle welding or softly muttering to himself.

"Donnie?" Leo called out to the closed door and received no response. This wasn't unusual since that meant that Donnie was too focused on what he was doing to hear his brother. Or he had passed out due to the lack of sleep. "Donnie, I'm coming in."

Pushing open the doors, he didn't find the purple masked turtle anywhere. The only person in the room was none other than April O'Neal. The human girl was sitting at Donatello's desk quietly typing out some notes and calculations that were (as Leo recognized them) in Donatello's handwriting. The red head paused what she was doing and looked up at Leo with a kind smile. Leo smiled back, even though April never felt like more than a friend to him. He could see and understand what Donatello saw in her and why he had fallen in love with her. She had a warm personality and could see the best in people, and also a calculating mind that tried to meet every challenge it was set upon.

"Looking for Donatello?" April asked.

"Yeah," Leo answered as he glanced around the large room.

"He went out." April answered.

"Alone?" Leo asked in concern.

"He said something about finding something at the military waste yard that could help with the Shellraiser." April answered, but she had an odd note of worry in her voice. "He should be back soon, or at least that's what he said."

"The Military Waste yard is 15 minutes away on foot." Leo thought aloud. "How long ago did he leave?"

"About an hour ago." April answered.

* * *

Donnie laughed to himself in glee as he found the object he was looking for. The object was a small device about the size and shape of a baseball games base plate.

"With this, we'd be able control the "Shellraiser" with a remote control." Donnie eagerly reached out to gather up his prize and return home. A storm was brewing overhead, and he didn't like the looks of it one bit. The sooner he was underground the better. That's when he suddenly paused when he felt a threatening presence around him. Grabbing his Bo staff, he scanned his surroundings holding himself at the ready. His hand itched to reach for his T-phone, knowing that by doing so it would result in a lecture from Splinter if not Leo about the dangers of going off alone.

However he was in danger, he knew and he had to get back to the lair without leading the enemy home. If a dressing down was the worst of it, he's be a happy camper. But calling for his family was exactly what his opponents wanted, they wanted him to be distracted and let his guard down. He winced in fright as lightning crashed overhead and the roar of thunder shook the sky. While the building storm over head lit the sky he was greeted by the sight of at least a dozen foot clan ninja's maybe more. All of them poised to strike. Donatello's mahogany brown eyes a widened as a familiar gravelly voice came from a mound of military refuse behind him.

"Well, well, well, what have we here?" Dogpound snarled. "It seems we found a little lost turtle."

"You'd be wise to surrender boy," The slithering voice of Fishface added as the mutant fish slipped from behind another heap. "It'll make it easier to find your master, and brothers. That way you can all die one happy family."

"Not while I'm alive!" Donnie declared defiantly.

"You've got guts, kid." Dogpound barked a laugh. "Unfortunately for you, our master is very persuasive when it comes to getting what he wants. Foot ninja, attack!"

The small army of foot leaped into the air and descended upon the loan teenage turtle. Donnie swatted away several Foot ninja, before running for it. He hand grabbing hold of his phone, he had to contact his brothers or April. The rain was beginning to fall making the phone slippery in his grasp and the refuse beneath him just as slick. His hand pressed April's number on speed dial, when he heard pounding foot steps behind him. A large hand with armored spikes enclosed around his waist and hoisted him into the air, his T-phone slipping from his hand and clattering to the ground among the refuse.

"Looks like your luck just ran out" Dogpound growled.

"Have a chew toy, you half-baked mut!" Donatello yelled as he grabbed his bow staff in both his hands and thrust it into Dogpound's mouth. Dogpound was surprised enough to loosen his grip on Donatello. Using his advantage the teen rokushubo master squirmed out of Dogpound's grasp and leaping over the mutant dogs head. Dogpound bucked and thrashed trying to rid his jaws of the offending wooden bit while its wielder held on with all his might. A sudden burst of light from overhead and a large peel of thunder caused Donatello to tense and lose focus of his grip on Dogpound. Fishface took advantage of this using his cyber-tronic legs he knocked the hapless ninja off Dogpound's back.

Donatello flew backward his head meeting the side of a broken down military jeep with a sickening crack. The last thing he saw before he blacked out was Fishface grinning toothily at him before he landed a hard kick to the side of the turtles's head.

Dogpound removed the bo staff from his mouth, snapping it in two as he tossed it away among the refuse. "I didn't need your help." He snarled at the fish. Several Foot Ninja came up to them began to truss the unconscious turtle.

"Who said I was helping?" Fishface sneered "You looked like you were doing a great job letting the turtle ride you around like an ugly, oversized, furry horse. "

"I nearly had 'em." Dogpound growled.

"We have the turtle," Fishface hissed. "Let's get him to Shredder before he wakes up…and before his brothers come looking for him."

* * *

"Guys wake up." Leo yelled as he rushed into Raph and Mikey's room.

"A little more pizza…anchovies and olives please." Mikey muttered in his sleep.

"Raph, Mikey" Leo yelled louder. Raph grunted one last snore before opening one annoyed green eye and glaring straight at his older brother and leader.

"This better be important, Leo." Raph growled.

"It's Donnie, he's missing." Leo answered with some concern. Raph rolled his eyes.

"Is that all?" Raph snorted as if this was beyond all concern. "The dork probably got himself lost in the tunnels again."

"According to April, he went to the military junk yard an hour ago and hasn't returned." Leo responded.

"When did you become Donnie's mother?" Raph snidely joked with a yawn. "He goes that junk yard all the time. Probably saw some other things he thought he could use for all those contraptions he makes that, get this… don't work."

"This is serious Raph, he could be in danger." Leo shouted.

"Leo" Raph groaned tiredly as he sat up on his tatami mat. "You know as well as I do...Donnie is a big boy and can handle himself. Heck, if anyone did try to attack, he'd probably bore them to death with one of his talks about things no one gives a flip about. Now Mikey on the other hand, he can't go anywhere without a baby sitter because he's got a big old neon sign that just shouts "Come, Beat Me!"

"What is going on?" Leo cringed and looked up into gentle but stern face of Master Splinter.

"Hero boy, over here woke me up to tell me that Donnie went awal." Raph answered flippantly.

"Donnie's missing?!" Mikey suddenly woke up surprised. Splinter's eyes seem to harden with anger a second, but just as quickly softened to concern and fear.

"Tell me everything!" Splinter answered demanded. Reluctantly Leo filled in everyone from the moment he woke up to the moment he learned Donatello was missing. Splinter's eyes closed as though he was trying to settle something in himself, processing all that he had heard.

"Have you tried contacting your brother?" Splinter calmly said after a moment.

"I have," Leo answered. "And it meets with no response."

* * *

"We have captured one of the turtles." Fishface smirked as Dogpound threw the unconscious turtle before the dais that held Shredder's throne. The captured Kraang that sat chained in a corner of the room eyed the turtle with a gleam of triumph.

"I see…" The Shredder answered as he got up. Retracting his blades as he descended the stairs. Stopping to inspect the unconscious turtle at his feet he used the blades he tilted up Donatello's head, exposing the young ninja's throat. "This is the one known as Donatello. I want you to leave his corpse where you found him. Let him be a message to the turtles and to Hamato Yoshi of what is in store."

"Wait father." Karai answered as she stepped forward from where she had been standing beside her father's throne. "I believe this one is sweet on that O'Neal girl. Perhaps his brothers will be willing to trade Hamato Yoshi and the girl to us, in exchange for their brother's safe return. Or O'Neal could willingly surrender herself to us."

"The one known as Karai, makes that which is known as a good point." The captured Kraang answered. "The ones known as the Turtles have a connection that is what is known a brotherly. And the one known as April O'Neal was rescued from Kraang by the turtle you call Donatello. It is possible that they do share the emotion that is known as love."

"And eventually those filthy turtles will come looking for their brother." Fishface smirked. "Or to avenge his death." Shedder glared down at the unconscious turtle a moment, tilting his head in consideration.

"Very well…" He answered as he reached down and ripped the purple eye mask from Donatello's face. "Inform Leonardo and his brothers that they have 24 hours to surrender Hamato Yoshi and the girl' April O'neal to us if they want to see their brother alive again. Should the turtles come looking for him, I want fail safe measures put in place. In the meantime, I'll convince this one to tell me where their hiding place is located."


	2. Ultimatum

**A/N-Thanks for the all the reviews and followers I have received for this fic thus far. As requested here's part two. **

"Tell me again why we out here in the cold pouring rain, instead of the warm dry lair where we belong." Raphael grumbled.

"According to April, this is where Donnie said he was going." Leo answered, his ocean blue eyes scanning the various mounds of government issued garbage. April walked beside him, using her T-phone to see if it could give them some clue to where Donnie could be located...if he was still here that is.

"Ooo, Donnie is going to be in so much trouble." Mikey teased. It wasn't often when Donatello was scolded by Master Splinter.

"That's why we are here, Mikey." Leo answered. "He could be in trouble already. What if he's hurt or maybe in danger? If he's still here, will find him."

"It's pouring rain Leo," Raphael growled. "Odds are the lightning caused interference with his T-phone and he's probably hiding somewhere around here to get out of the rain."

"Dude, you almost sounded like Donnie just now." Mikey commented which was responded by Raphael slamming his youngest brother down on to the ground. April continued to dial Donatello's phone number, when she saw something flashing among the garbage several feet away. Her eyes widened as her whole body felt oddly numb. She approached the flashing object and picked it up, she knew at once what it was.

"He wouldn't do that." Leo answered. "Not in this weather."

"Oh yeah?" Raphael challenged smugly "And how exactly do you know that?"

"Guys" April interrupted as she returned.

"What is it April?" Leo asked.

"I found this…" She held out the T-phone she had picked up from the rubble.

"Uh, duh" Mikey said not putting two and two together. "It's a T-phone, we all have one of those remember?"

"This isn't just any T-phone, Mikey" Leo answered. "It's Donnie's"

"Wait how the shell did the Millitary get Donnie's T-phone?!" Mikey exclaimed "And why the shell did they just throw it away?"

"Everyone spread out," Leo commanded "If you see anything, report immediately."

"I see a lot things," Mikey answered. "What sort of things are we looking for?"

"Anything that belongs to Donnie." Leo responded

"What if all looks like it belongs to Donnie?" Mikey asked innocently.

"Mikey," Leo said with an exasperated sigh. "Just stay here with April."

"Can do, chief." Mikey answered.

Raph and Leo carefully picked their way in opposite directions. Raph grumbling about how he'd rather be in the lair, and what he wanted to do once he found his brother. But yet even he was starting to feel a little concerned about his genius younger brother's welfare. His foot suddenly met with something made of wood. Looking down he saw a familiar looking wooden staff. The wood was snapped in two with only a few splinters and the cloth binding feebly keeping it together. Imbedded in the wood were strange jagged indentations that he couldn't place.

"Uh Leo," Raph called. "I think I found something." Leo and the others quickly joined him as he picked up the wooden staff. Leo numbly took the broken weapon into his hands, his anxiety beginning to take hold. Looking at April and Raph, it was clear they thought the same thing. Something very bad had befallen Donatello.

"Those look like teeth marks." April commented as she touched the jagged indentations in the wood.

"Yo Donnie!" Mikey yelled out into the gloom of the night. "Donnie, where are you? Come on out dude, this isn't funny anymore!" The answer he received was from one of the last people he wanted to hear from.

"On the contrary, I'm finding it rather amusing." Karai spoke from one of the mounds of military refuse. All the Turtles pulled out their weapons in response. April also stood her ground behind Leo, pulling out her tessen.

"What do you want, Karai?" Raph growled menacingly at the Kunoichi.

"I couldn't help but notice, one of your brothers is missing, Leonardo. " Karai coyly stated. "Now what his name again…Danny?"

"Donnie!" Leo sternly corrected. "Donatello, to the likes of you!

"We don't want to hear any of your lies, so be a good girl for once and leave us alone." Raphael threatened.

"Well if that's the case," Karai answered continuing to beat around the bush. "Then perhaps you don't care that I know what happened to your brother? My father is probably entertaining him as we speak."

"The Shredder has…" Leo started to say, his face taking on an almost ashen look. The Shredder didn't merely want to see his family dead…he wanted to see the Hamato family wiped off the face of the earth. While he should be happy that Donatello was still alive, the fact he was at the mercy of the Shredder was not a comforting thought. April placed a hand on her friends shoulder, understanding his distress. While her eyes were largely innocent of the man who haunted their nightmares, she had seen and heard enough to know what sort of monster he truly was and the levels he would go to get what he wanted.

Karai confirmed their fears by pulling Donatello's eye mask from her belt and dangled it teasingly in front of the three turtles. Before she let it drop from her fingers, letting it be carried on the wind as it descended to the ground. Leo rushed forward catching the strip of purple cloth in his hands and held it to his heart as though it was something precious.

"Where is he, Karai?!" Leo growled. His eyes seemed to glow white with hatred. Karai herself was taken aback by the intensity but she recovered herself quickly.

"That comes with a message from my Father." Karai answered. "You have 24 hours to surrender your master and the girl that stands with you. That is if you wish to see your brother alive again?"

"Right, so your father can murder him in front of our very eyes!" Raph snarled, his hands longing to skewer Karai's heart with one of his sai. This Kunoichi was poison and she knew it, she loved the pain she caused their family, reveled in it.

"What happens to your brother is no business of mine," Karai answered indifferently. "He means nothing to me. And even if he did, I can't tell you what I don't know." Karai's eyes landed hard on April's blue eyes. "The question should be, what does he mean to you?"

The Kunoichi then jumped away to the darkness, leaving three angry and grief stricken turtles and one human girl in her wake. Leo continued to kneel on the ground, his shoulders shaking as if he was fighting back tears. Before he angrily brought one fist up and angrily slammed it down on a nearby piece of refuse. The angry sky over head echoing the pain that was collectively shared in their hearts.

"Come on." Raph said putting a hand on his brother's shoulder. "We need to inform Master Splinter."

* * *

Donatello painfully opened his eyes. His head still throbbed where Fishface had kicked him. Looking about he found himself in a small metal chamber, roughly 12"x 12" in diameter. There was a small window in one wall, so he could only assume that was a door of some sort. He hadn't been tied to any of the walls which meant they didn't believe he could escape from this prison, or they were counting on him to attempt it.

Walking to the door way he examined it. The door itself was sliding panel made of iron and magnetically sealed. Which meant the control for it had to be in another location. The best course of action if he wished to escape, was to get past anyone who entered the room and hope he was fast enough to reach nearest sewer. Kneeling down he tried to formulate what he should do.

"Good, your awake." A deep frighteningly familiar voice boomed over an unseen speaker.

"You can't keep me locked up forever." Donatello yelled trying to mask his fear with defiance. All previous encounters with the Shredder he had been with his brothers, and they had barely escaped with their lives. He knew he had little hope of facing Shredder on his own.

"I don't intend to." The Shredder growled. "I have given your family an ultimatum, they turn over the girl and your master to me in exchange for you. They have little over 23 hours to come meet my demands. If they do as I ask, I will allow you the opportunity to say good bye to them before I end your miserable life. However if they foolishly think they can find and rescue you, your cell is wired to explode the moment they try to open it without a proper access key."

"The girl…You mean April?!" Donatello asked trying hard not to add any hints that she was someone who mattered to him. Anything the Shredder could use as an advantage over him would be disastrous. "Why in the world do you want April?"

"Why indeed…" Shredder chuckled maliciously. "Some associates of mine…Associates I have no doubt you are familiar with, are interested in her. And it seems she has some importance to you. Tell me where your brothers and master are residing, and she will not come to any harm. But if you continually refuse to give the answers I seek, perhaps she will."

Donnie was torn, he loved April he would do anything for her. But his brothers and father were of equal importance and either way their lives were in danger. If death was his only out come in this farce, he prayed his family would have the strength to move on once he was gone. Gritting his teeth, he forced himself to keep his own counsel.

His eyes opened as he heard the sound of water. Sure enough water was gushing into the cell causing the room to fill up at an alarming rate. Being a turtle he was naturally amphibious, at least took to water easier then some other reptiles. But even then turtles needed moments to come up for air. The water had already filled the room past his waist and continued climb higher by the minute.

* * *

Splinter looked up as his charges reentered the lair. His ears drooped sadly as he it was apparent that the answers they had found were not the answers they wanted to find. Michelangelo flopped down on one of the pillow chairs in the pit, his face which was normally mischievously smiling, was down cast and uncharacteristically saddened.

Raphael walked over to the practice dummy that his brothers had made into and effigy of shredder. Angrily he yanked it from its hook and threw it directly across the room, before slamming his fist against the stone support pillar. The red masked turtle bent his head so that it rested against the pillar, tears trickling from his eyes.

"Kuso…Kuso." Were the words that force themselves from Raphael's throat, along with a number of other Japanese expletives.

April also sat down on the couch not far away from Michelangelo, the look in her eyes made her seem so lost. As if part of her had just died.

Leonardo approached his adoptive father taking something out of his belt and held it out. Splinter took his missing sons eye mask into his hand sadly, the loss of one of his sons hit him hard. Harder then the loss of his daughter. Miwa was a treasured innocent child who was undeserving of her fate. But she had lived on that cruel earth for far too short a time to leave many memories behind.

"Karai approached us." Leonardo spoke. "She told us that the Shredder has him, and he wants us to turn you and April over to him if we want him back." At this this news the old rat's heart felt heavy as though a huge weight had settled on it. To be at the mercy of the Shredder was a fate worse than death. If it was true that Donatello was still alive, it was anything but fortunate.

"At least we know, Donnie won't be hurt for 24 hours." Michelangelo commented.

"Mikey…" April answered. "Karai said Shredder would keep him alive for 24 hours, she didn't say anything about not hurting him."

"But she said her father was entertaining him." Mikey answered.

"Yeah, Shredder and Donnie are probably swapping stories of the good old days over green tea and sesame seed cookies!" Raph sarcastically snapped. "Of course Shredder is more than likely torturing him at this very moment. It's not like he'd pass up an opportunity to find out where we live."

"I know Donnie well enough to know he'll hold his tongue to the bitter end." Leo answered solemnly as he descended into the pit. His face holding the same lost expression he had the night they had all faced the Shredder for the first time. "That is unless Shredder threatens lives someone he truly cares for. Which includes everyone in this very room..."


	3. Beginning the Torment

The water had almost filled the box like room to the ceiling. Donatello had forced himself to swim so that he could still make use of the remaining pockets of air. He wasn't certain as to how long he could hold his breath, certainly longer than one would think possible for a human. The important thing was to keep his mind focused and not let anxiety take over. Anxiousness would only cause him to use up his precious air supply faster. Eventually whoever was controlling the room would drain it, the only question was when.

Unfortunately Shredder seemed to have taken the ability hold a breath into account. As soon as the room was completely filled, a current of electricity was unleashed into the room. Not a very strong current, but conducted by iron walls and the water filling the room it had enough of an effect to cause an intense amount of pain.

Despite his best efforts the involuntary urge to cry out in pain forced it way from his throat. Donatello thrashed about in panic as he felt the water slip past his airways and into his lungs. He was drowning, his mind crying out for Leo, Raph, Master Splinter, someone…anyone to save him. But they couldn't, he was alone in a prison cell, in an unknown location. He began to feel light headed, his body screamed for the need to breath. But then, almost as it soon as the torment had begun it was over. Exhausted his body fell to the ground and lay still. He was seemingly lifeless for several seconds, but they felt like an eternity before he tried to get up. His first reaction was cough and vomit up all of the water that had entered his lungs and stomach. His body shivered as it was racked with cold and weakness, his head ached painfully, and chest heaved with racking coughs as his lungs desperately tried to fill themselves with their deprived oxygen. The door slid open and Dogpound entered the room. The dog faced mutant sneered at the severely weakened and helpless turtle before him.

"Now boy," The voice of the Shredder demanded. "Do you care to tell me where your Sensei and brothers are hiding? Or are you going to continue to try my patience?"

Donatello weakly struggled to stand up. He was well aware he was in no condition to fight and there was little room in the cell to put up any resistance. Shredder knew that and Dogpound knew that. The irony of the situation brought to mind a point in time where he had overheard Chris Bradford…Dogpound's former humanself saying he would rather perish with honor. How honorable was it to attack someone who was in no condition to fight back, let alone defend themselves.

~Honor,~ Donnie inwardly thought as the door to the cell slid shut. ~Shredder and his hinchmen don't know the meaning of the word.~

* * *

Donnie had been missing for nearly two hours now and already things were starting to fall apart. Splinter had retreated to his room to be alone. April would flick her eyes sadly in the direction of the Dojo understanding what the wise master was feeling. It made her wonder if her own father was worried about her and her safety at this very moment. While she greatly feared she may never see her father again, it didn't feel quite as bad as it would have if she had to suffer all this alone. The thoughts about her father made April wonder if he was undergoing the same things Donnie must be enduring. Trapped in some unknown place, no idea if anyone would be able to find him in time, with pain and loneliness being the only things he could count on as companions in his time of need.

Mikey was trying to pass the time watching TV, but he wasn't really paying attention to it. Instead he listlessly just lay in front of the TV. For the sake of something to do, April got up from the couch going to the linin closet she pulled out a ragged and heavily stained old quilt. Like many of the things the turtles used, it was a discarded object. Something rejected as worthless by those that once possessed it and left behind in favor of something new and beautiful. Much like the turtles were rejected by the world around them, and would continue to be by those who would never understand them as people.

Calmly she laid the quilt over the smaller turtle, providing him that small comfort before she returned to the couch. It amazed her how closely knit this family was. While it was questionable as to whether the four turtles had even hatched from the same clutch of eggs, they had been together ever since they were bought at that pet store by Hamato Yoshi. And for all intents and purposes they saw each other as brothers, if not by blood, then by the blood, sweat, and tears they shed for one another. And no matter how many times they fought, argued, yelled, or smacked one another, there were feelings of love and companionship not far behind. The feeling between them was so strong, that if one vanished and was hurt or possibly killed…it left a huge impact. An impact they couldn't recover from for it would be as though they had each lost a part of themselves.

Sitting back on the couch, April's mind began to process Karai's last words in her mind. ~_The question should be, what does he mean to you?_~ It was as though the Konoichi had spoken that question directly to her. April had suspected…had known that Donatello did have a crush on her. Sometimes she was annoyed by it, such as the times when he would accidentally call her "My April" as if she was a pet that he owned.

But there were other times she found it rather sweet how he would go out of his way be accommodating to her in any way possible. Whenever she entered the lair, he was always the first one at her side. The first one to show concern for anything she thought or felt.

One thing that had always struck her about him was his mahogany eyes. Through those eyes she could see how genuine his spirit and words truly were. Whenever his eyes met hers, she knew without a doubt he meant every single word he said. It was those eyes she had trusted when she first met him. Anyone else when faced with a choice between: several goons, who turned out to be alien robots from another dimension and a six foot tall teenage mutant turtle. They wouldn't have known who to trust. But for April, when Donatello held out his hand to her and told her he was one of the good guys. Just looking into his eyes she knew she could believe him.

Even their last attempt at saving her father, he had looked her in the eyes and with heartfelt sorrow promised they would get her father back. She wanted to believe him, her heart told her to believe that there was still hope. But she was too upset over their failure to believe him, she had been so close to having her father returned to her, only to lose him once again. Practically every time Donatello had looked in her that evening, it was though he felt he had let her down…that he was the one who failed her. Mikey eventually came up to her and told her not to blame Donnie for what happened during the rescue mission, because he was the one who had foolishly set off the alarm and alerted the Kraang. While it did help give some understanding as to what exactly went wrong during the rescue…it didn't make her feel any better.

April wished she could give the same reassurance that Donatello gave her, to his brothers. The same reassurance that everything would be alright, that their brother would be returned to them and everything would be back to normal. But she couldn't promise what she couldn't guarantee. The only thing she knew was Donatello was somewhere and suffering under the hands of the Shredder, and would be dead in a matter of hours. The thought of not looking into those mahogany brown eyes ever again. The thought of not feeling his comforting embrace as he held her close in his strong arms. The thought of not hearing his gentle voice reassuring her that everything was going to be alright. It made her feel like the world was about to end.

Her eyes snapped open in shock…did she by chance love him too? She had come to see and love the turtles as her second family yes…but to be in love with one of them. That couldn't be possible after all she was… a human girl. While it was true she had not met any boys she was interested in starting a relationship with, she was still only sixteen. And admittedly she did want to get married someday…not right then of course, but one day maybe when she was in her twenties. She did want to marry someone she truly loved and eventually when the time was right have children. No matter how she examined it…anything beyond friendship with any of the turtles, was a relationship that logically could never happen.

April's thoughts were interrupted by Raphael storming into the common room.

"And that's exactly why we should be out there looking, Leo!" Raphael fumed at his older brother. Raphael was a time-bomb waiting to happen, and he became more and more volatile as the hours wore on.

"Listen to yourself, Raph." Leonardo snapped matching his brother's anger. Sometimes the only way the two older turtles spoke was through shouts and arguments. "The Foot has numerous outposts within the city, and Donnie could be any of them. We can't search them all in less than 22 hours."

"Not with that attitude, we can't," Raph shot back. "We could cover more of them if we split up."

"Yeah," Leo shot back. "And maybe getting captured in the process of scanning a building, perhaps being used a leverage to force him to reveal the location of the lair. We're safer together."

"All I'm hearing out of your mouth is 'I'm a coward, whose too afraid to do anything. So I'm just going to leave Donnie to die.' With brothers like you, who needs the Shredder! " Raphael angrily retorted.

"STOP IT, BOTH OF YOU!" Splinter demanded as he exited the dojo. Both teens stopped their squabble and turned to their master. The Wise Rodent, didn't always raise his voice in that manner unless he had a reason to. Seeing as he had their attention, he lowered it to the point where it was only a stern growl. "I understand the two of you are worried about your brother. But fighting is not going help him any faster. Raphael, Leonardo is very wise in saying the three of you must remain together, because only together can you prevail. If you separate it not only jeopardizes Donatello's safety, but the safety of this family as well."

"But Sensei," Raphael protested "You can't just expect us to sit here on our shells, while Donnie is probably being used by the Foot as target practice?"

Splinter paused and closed his eyes sadly, his ears lowering. He knew his third son was suffering under the hands up his greatest enemy; he longed to stop the pain Donatello was going through. For a moment he unconsciously he brought his hands up as though cradling a small child, but dropped them again, when he opened his eyes and responded to his second son's question.

"As long as life still exists, there is hope." Splinter answered calmly. "You must be patient and focus your minds, only then will you know what path you must take that you will help you reach your brother."

With that the fatherly rodent returned to the Dojo and to his solitude. Raphael threw himself into most violent of the video arcade games as means of venting off steam. Leo on the other hand watched his brother's back a moment, before sadly turning his eyes to where Mikey lay on the floor of the pit. Sighing he made his way to the room he shared with Donnie.

April considered following after him, but felt her friend needed time alone right now. Instead she made a couple of cups of tea, and brought both to the dojo with her. She found Master Splinter standing kneeling in front of a closet, going through a box of papers.

"Master Splinter?" She asked as she approached. Even though it had been a few hours, the ninja master looked as though he had aged several years. Calmly April handed the cup of tea to the older man.

"Thank you, child." Splinter said as he accepted the cup. April said nothing as she knelt beside him. She said nothing as Splinter kept going through the box of papers. Taking out drawings and scribbling's that his sons had made for him, occasionally a sketch of the turtles would come up. Often the images had one or two of the turtles.

April picked up one of the sketches. An image of Donatello perched on the couches of the pit area playing with an earlier version of his lap top, Michelangelo lay sprawled asleep on the couch using his brothers long legs as a pillow. A caption off to the side reading "Donatello & Michelangelo Age 13"

Another one was a sketch of Raphael holding Donatello in a playful head lock. The two of them looking like friends, who welcomed and enjoyed each other's company. "Raphael and Donatello Age 12"

A third sketch was one of a younger Donatello sitting beside the pool in the common area. He was sitting with his knees tucked against plastron. His dark colored eyes looking troubled or sad. His head rested slightly against Leonardo's shoulder, the older boy offering what comfort he could with one arm wrapped about his younger brother's shell. Leo's face turned towards Donnie in concern. "Donatello & Leonardo Age 9"

April figured there were not going to be many family photos of the turtles, given the lives they have lived. But the sketched memories told her more about their relationship together a lot better the then any photo could.

"I gather you drew all these?" April asked conversationally, carefully making sure she drained her tea cup and placed it safely on the ground so as not to run the risk of damaging these precious memories.

"Now and again." Splinter answered. "It's harder to draw four rambunctious teenage boys."

"But you really captured what they were like when they were little." April said as she picked up another image that Splinter had pulled out. This was one of a small handful that was of the four of them together. And it was the youngest she had seen them yet. It was all four of them sleeping together on a floor mat. Leo, Donnie, and Mikey were all clumped together. While one turtle, that April could only assume was Raphael, had somehow managed to curl his body around his three siblings like a lion guarding over three sleeping lambs. They almost reminded her sleeping kittens or puppies. As her eyes took in the image she saw other things that drew her interest. The room the four of them were sleeping in…it looked sort of like Donnie's Lab. But it didn't have any of the medic or scientific equipment in it; instead it was set up like kindergarten class room or a preschool.

"That used to be their nursery, and their play room." Splinter answered as if sensing the unasked question about the image. April almost wanted to laugh.

"I guess for Donnie, it'll always be the play room." She answered jokingly. But quickly remembered now was not the time for jokes. "I'm sorry…that was inappropriate of me."

"On the contrary, you are quite correct." Splinter smiled at the human girl beside him. "Donatello has exhibited an intense curiosity though out his child hood. When the others grew bored with certain toys and didn't wish to play with them any longer. He would take these apart and manage to make new toys with them. As they grew older, his brothers became more fascinated by more tangible things such as TV shows and video games. Donatello on the other hand his interests would turn to more fascinated with electronics and scientific experimentation resulting in the lab you recognize today. And his efforts, though not always appreciated by the others, have proven useful in protecting our family from harm."

"In addition to helping defeating the Kraang and…the Shredder." April answered. The elder rat nodded with a solemn sigh.

"I knew they would eventually have to encounter the Shredder." Splinter responded. "That was inevitable. But I had hoped they wouldn't face him until they were more grown. And yet part of me hoped they would never have to face my old nemesis at all."

April looked back down at the sketch of the four sleeping turtles. The four of them innocent and whole…free from any pain or knowledge of the enemies they would come to face. It didn't seem fair that their lives were so dramatically changed …like this.

"There is a story behind that drawing." The wise rodent said with a sad smile as he took the image from April and stared at it. As if trying to call back the innocent souls immortalized on the page.

**Thank you to everyone who is following this fic, I appreciate the feed back from everyone who has reviewed. If anyone cares to do fan art for this fic, I do have a DA account. Next installment of this fic will be a flash back. **


	4. They don't want me as a brother any more

**Word of note-this chapter is all flash back to when the turtles were three years old. Hope you enjoy...as always I do like reviews. **

"Alright my sons, the hour is late and it's time to sleep." Splinter told the four turtle tots.

"AWWWWW!" Was the collective chorus of complaints from the four of them.

"Come on Sensei, one more hour." Michelangelo said. "Please, Pleeeeeaaaasssseeee."

"No." Splinter answered "It's time for you to sleep now. But if you all get ready for bed in the next 5 minutes, I would tell you a story."

"Okay," The four boys answered before toddling to the bathroom to brush their teeth, returning with blankets as they curled up on a tatami mat Splinter had unrolled in the center of the room.

"Can we here the story of Princess Hase?" Leonardo asks as he curled on his stomach, eager for the story.

"As if we didn't hear that one yesterday." Raphael retorted. "I want to hear the one about "The goblin of Adachigahara"

"I want to hear a story with turtles in it." Michelangelo chimed in, which earned him a look from his older brothers. "What…I'm a turtle, so why not a story with a turtle as hero." Raphael responded by smacking the back of his youngest brothers head.

"Ow…why'd you hit me, Raphie?" Mikey yelled.

"I felt like it." Raphael answered.

"What about…" Donnie started to inquire a suggestion.

"Shut up!" Raphael yelled "No one wants to listen, to your stupid story." Donnie made a face like he was about to cry. He looked to Leo and Mikey as if looking for someone to take his side. Leo just continued to lay on his plastron and idly kicked his legs in the air as if he hadn't heard what transpired. Mikey on the other hand was still sitting with his ragged blanket eagerly awaiting the bedtime story from their father.

"I still want to hear a story about a turtle." Mikey chimed in.

"Children, Children." Splinter chided his four adopted sons. "If you're going to squabble over what story you want to hear, then there will be no story tonight."

"No…" Leo pleaded. "We'll be good."

"No my sons." Splinter answered as he got up and left the room. "You need to learn your actions have consequences, so tonight there will be no story. May you have pleasant dreams."

"Oyasumi Nisai, Sensei." Was said in a disappointed chorus of four childish voices as the light was turned out and the door to the nursery was shut.

"Great going, Donnie." Raphie whispered in the dark as he settled down upon the tatami mat.

"Huh, what did he do?" Mikey asked as lay on his back and draped his blanket over himself.

"He cost us our bedtime story." Raphie answered.

"If we had listened to the story I wanted, we wouldn't be having this argument." Leo stated.

"Why do we always have to do what you want Leo?" Raphie asked indignantly.

"Because I'll be leader one day." Leo proudly said. "And you'll all have to do what I tell you."

"The day you'll become leader, is the day Donnie admits he's a girl." Raphie shot back.

"Donnie's a girl?!" Mikey ask surprised.

"I AM NOT A GIRL!" Donnie screeched out.

"Boys… go to sleep!" Splinter commanded through the door.

"Hai!" The four boys answered. One by one, all four young turtles curling in their blankets and slowly fell asleep.

Donnie was the last to fall asleep. He just sat with his blanket wrapped around his tiny body. Even though he had his brothers around him, he couldn't have felt more alone. Curling down he watched as his siblings softly slept before his eyes too grew heavy, and he fell into a fitful slumber.

* * *

Splinter sighed as he traveled to his room. It had been three years since he had magically gone from lonely widower trying to make a new start to the single father of four. Thanks to whatever was in that strange canister that made them into who they were today.

After the deaths of his wife Tang Shen and his daughter Miwa, Splinter or Hamato Yoshi had traveled to America. Renting a single room apartment in the city of New York, he intended to remain in hiding until he was able to face his nemesis and avenge the deaths of his family. And being a virile man in his 30's he was bound to marry and have children once again. That way his clan could be restored and he could pass on the art of Ninjutsu to his children, as his father had passed on to him. Little did he know that fate would take an unexpected turn the day he had decided to purchase four infant turtles.

Finding himself transformed into an oversized rat, he gathered the four turtles into his arms and spirited them away into the sewers. Searching much of the day until he found the abandoned subway that now served as the lair they all lived.

Once the four infants had settled down to sleep, in a pile of rags and old clothes that man-sized rat had gathered. Hamato Yoshi journeyed to his old apartment in the dark of night retrieving what belongings he had placed in the apartment. Leaving notice for his landlord that he had changed his mind on the apartment and was going to live elsewhere. These belongings along with other items he had brought from Japan, which had up until that point been placed in a storage locker were used to make up his new subterranean home.

Life was different and difficult for the four of them. From finding discarded food scraps for himself and his young ones as nourishment, to learning which seasons it was wise to let the children sleep in the nursery vs. when they should sleep in the common room area. Making sure things were kept clean and sanitary so that his young ones didn't become sickened.

But the surface world…the world of humans would not understand them or accept their family. If humans were to discover them, he naturally would be killed as he would be seen as the greatest threat of the group. Death on the other hand would be a mercy for his young ones, as humans would round them up and study them in labs, knowing only fear and pain as they suffered and cried behind the bars of a cage.

And the worse yet…if Oroku Saki learned of their location, he would hunt them down. The Shredder didn't simply want to kill his former friend, he wanted to break him. To watch him suffer as he slaughtered everyone that he loved and valued. Only when Hamato Yoshi truly begged for death, would he grant it.

Settling down on the floor, Splinter closed his eyes and calmly breathed as he let his consciousness sink into his mind. His body still, his mind flowed out into the open space.

* * *

Donatello's mind was in turmoil as he slept. Rolling over onto his back, a tear dripped down his face to be absorbed by the tatami mat.

*dream sequence*  
_"Hey, wait for me!" Donnie called to his brothers who were walking down the one of the many labyrinthine tunnels of their subterranean home. The other three boys only paused, Leo and Raphie glared behind them as if annoyed by the fact the other boy was following them. Mikey also glance behind him, but shrugged indifferently._

_"Come on, guys." Mikey yawned. "Let's just go." The three turtles walked faster as they continued down the tunnel. Donnie continued to follow after his brothers._

_"Why can't he take the hint?" Raphie growled to Leo. _

_"I have an idea." Leo whispered to his brothers before loudly saying. "Bet you guys can't beat me to the next junction."_

_"Now you're speaking my language." Mikey cheered. On Leo's signal all three boys broke into a run. Wanting to remain with his brothers, Donnie raced after. _

_"Geeze, he's hard to shake." Mikey commented as he glanced behind him._

_"All part of the plan," Leo smirked. "It's time we give Donnie a big dose of reality. That fork up ahead, Raph you take the left and I'll take the right. Mikey keep going straight but, double back after you've gone twenty yards or so." _

_The three turtle tots continued their race and broke off in their separate directions. Donnie skidded to a stop, glancing down the tunnels he saw Raphie and Leo head down, but didn't see his brothers anywhere. And Mikey had disappeared down the tunnel up head. That's when he suddenly felt himself pushed from behind as the ground tipped forward to meet him. _

_"Don't you understand Bucket Head, you're not wanted?" He heard Raphie say. _

_"But Leo, Raphie, Mikey…were brothers." Donnie protested._

_"Yeah…And?" Mikey answered picking at his ear slit._

_"Maybe we don't want to be brothers with you anymore, ever think of that" Leo shot back. _

_"Who wants to be brothers with a dork like you?" Raphie laughed "Let's go guys, maybe Donnie will finally figure out how lame he actually is?" The three turtle boys ran off, leaving Donatello alone in the tunnel…alone and forgotten._

Donnie's eyes opened to the gloom of the nursery. Looking about him, his brothers all lay curled about them, each in their own dream worlds. Even though it was just a dream, it could also be real. The large room, suddenly felt small and confining as the young turtle got up and wandered to the door. He didn't know how he managed to get the heavy metal door open enough to slip out of the room, but somehow he did. Knowing how much of a bear Splinter could be when he was disobeyed, Donnie softly padded his way to the pool. Crouching down he stared at his reflection, wondering what it was that made his brothers dislike him so. His vision blurred as fresh tears started to fall from his eyes.

* * *

Splinter came out of his meditative trance when he heard the door to the nursery open, and the padding of tiny three toed feet padding across the stone floor. Which meant one of his young ones was awake and out of bed. He didn't make any immediate assumptions about one son's disobeying him; it was possible that the child was only up in need of a drink of water from the kitchen, or use of the restroom. However his sharp ears picked up where the small feet were headed and it was neither place.

The older man again didn't jump to conclusions and punish the child needlessly. Raphael and Michelangelo were the more recalcitrant of the four children. There had been many occasions when they had refused to sleep just because their father ordered them too. Either one or both would try to hide themselves from their father's sight, but were almost always caught. Leonardo and Donatello were thankfully better behaved. They did have their moments, but most of the time they obediently followed what their father instructed. They wouldn't be up unless something was wrong with one of their brothers, or something was troubling their sleep.

Calmly the older man wandered out of the Dojo, his calm orange eyes scanning the room until he spotted a bit of green crouched by the pool. He recognized it to be his third son at once, cautiously he approached the boy.

"Donatello?" Splinter asked as he knelt down, the small child jumped not expecting the voice of his adoptive father behind him. Slowly the small turtle looked at him tearfully before he scrabbled at his eyes as if ashamed to be caught crying. Splinter at once grabbed the child, and held him in his arms. "What has brought you to tears, my son?"

"I had a dream," Came the soft reply as Donnie buried his face into his father's robe. "A dream where Leo and the others told me they didn't want to be my brothers anymore."

"I see…" Splinter answered as he shifted the boy in his arms so the child could wrap his arms around his neck. Standing up from the ground Splinter moved to the couches in the pit area. One hand stroking circles in the child's shell. "What makes you believe that your brothers would hate you that much?"

"I don't know…" Donnie answered continually clutching his father's robe for comfort. "Leo only wants to do what he wants, Mikey… I don't follow his way of thinking, and Raphie is mean to me. So when I had that dream, I felt it had to be true."

Splinter calmly listened to Donnie's words; his heart feeling a pang of sadness over how the boy must feel. Donnie was quite different from his brothers in many ways. He wasn't socially inept by any means. But he was somewhat more socially awkward then his brothers, preferring to keep to himself and only speaking or joining a family conversation when addressed or invited to speak. He also exhibited a high level of intelligence and a curiosity that seemed almost insatiable, which at times led to problems with the other three turtles. Sometimes Donnie would pick up toy (particularly the ones that have electronic parts) that his other brothers had gotten bored with, and take it apart to see how it worked. Leo and Raphie would see this and automatically take offence about it in different ways. Leo was fortunately the nicer of the two as he would often tell Donnie to please ask if anyone minded if he took the toy apart. Raphie on the other hand what a bit more physical about it resulting in someone (usually Donnie) ending up crying, and the other being scolded by Splinter before spending a time out in a corner of the dojo.

"My child," Splinter answered in a fatherly manner. "I can't deny there are times where you and your brothers will have your problems. However I can't reassure you on my honor as a ninja and as your father that on no circumstance will Leonardo, Raphael, or Michelangelo ever tell you that they don't want you as a brother."

"But all I do is cause trouble." Donnie answered.

"No, my son," Splinter answered. "You have special qualities about you that not even you, realize at this time your brothers don't understand these qualities. But in time, they will begin to understand."

Donnie lapsed into silence, finding comfort sitting in his father's arms. Splinter continued to hold the young turtle humming snatches of half-forgotten songs children's songs from his homeland until the child finally at long last drifted into the comforting embrace of sleep. Once he was certain Donnie was asleep, Splinter returned the boy to the nursery.

Unconsciously, as though the other three boys had been listening to their conversation, the other three turtles reacted to Donatello being placed among them. Leo reached out with one hand and seemed to pull his younger brother closer to him, offering him comfort and stability. Mikey seemed to cuddle closer to his two brothers, offering love and companionship. Raphie stretched in his sleep and curved his tiny body around his siblings. His small three fingered hands splaying out like claws, as though saying anyone who dared to harm his siblings, would have to deal with him. Splinter smiled at the sight of his four sons wishing they would stay this innocent and peaceful forever, but knowing in his heart darkness would in time descend upon their family. Until then, he could only pray that his sons would have the strength and resolve to deal with the darkness when it came.


	5. Escape Attempt

**Hoped everyone enjoyed that trip down memory lane. There are other flashbacks to come (not necessarily in this story), but now it's time to return to present day.**

Donnie hit the wall with a grunt as Dogpound threw him once again. He's body was blooded and bruised from the beating he had just received moments before. The taste of blood filled his mouth as he spit out a gob of red saliva and a few broken tooth shards. Donnie was sure that were at least a couple of broken ribs. He tried to get back on his feet, but his body was refusing to respond. Every movement was pain and his body demanded rest. His vision swam as he began to lose consciousness. Dogpound lifted his gigantic fist as he was going to land another crushing blow to the nearly incapacitated turtle.

"That is enough…We don't want our guest to perish just yet." Shredder called over the speaker. Dogpound at once lowered his arm and walked to the door. The Shredder then spoke to Donatello." Enjoy this respite while you have it, boy. But know, I can continue the torment any time I choose."

"We'll continue this later." Dogpound growled a promise as the door slid open for him leaving the turtle to his misery.

Donnie lay his head against the cold iron of the floor grateful for the fleeting moment of peace. He knew he should stay awake, who knew when the torment would begin again. Be it five minutes or five hours. Unfortunately the exhaustion won out as Donnie shut his eyes, and fell into the fitful bliss of unconsciousness.

* * *

April quietly left the dojo with a soft smile on her face. With the story Splinter had told her about the turtle's childhood, it felt as though she had been entrusted a precious gift, and it made her wonder if she would be privy to other stories about the childhood of the turtles. Her smile faded as she glanced at the turtles that were present in the room. Raphael had stopped playing the video game, he had been playing with moments before. Instead he was sitting on the floor of the pit with his pet turtle, Spike. Though April could tell he was really trying to comfort Mikey. Leo who had left the seclusion of his bedroom, stood looking at Donatello's lab as almost as if he was expecting or hoping his second brother would be there. But then he sadly looked away and sighed, before joining his brothers in the pit.

~_Oh Donnie…_~ April thought as a wave of sadness passed over her. ~_If only you can see your family now…how much they need you._~ Quietly she joined her friends and newly found family in the pit. Leo looked up at her as she approached and offered her a ghost of a smile as a form of greeting.

"How are you holding up?" She asked in concern. Of all of them, this had to be hurting Leo the most. He was both an older brother and a leader both positions that required the responsibility to protect the people that looked up to him.

"Okay, I guess." Leo sighed. "I keep finding myself wanting to turn to Donnie…to see if he had any idea about what to do or where we should start looking. But then I remember… he's the one in this situation."

"We'll find him Leo," April answered as she put a hand on her friends shoulder in comfort. "I'm sure he knows you're doing all you can to find him."

"But how…where?" Leo asked, his eyes beginning to fill with tears. "I'm worried by the time we find him, it will be too late." April just calmly hugged her friend and let him cry on her shoulder. Raphael looked like he had wanted to retort, but thought better of it. For a while the room lapsed in to silence, with only Leonardo's sobs as the only noise between them.

"Donnie's…I guess Donnie's always been the one that's held us together." Raph said introspectively after a while. Everyone including Mikey glanced over at Raph as if surprised to hear him say this. "When we were kids, I guess we all didn't respect him all that much, heck Leo and I would dump Mikey with him simply because we didn't want to deal with him ourselves."

"You still do." Mikey answered, though not with his usual degree of humor. April calmly sat down on the couch while remained Leo remained beside her, brushing away the tears from his eyes.

"I'm probably the worst offender…" Raphael admitted. "I guess I did it because…well he doesn't get angry all that often, and I just want to see how far he can be pushed sometimes. And the other times I guess he's just convenient."

"I remember when we were growing up…he would always be by himself." Leo answered. "There was a time I had believed he thought he was better than we were, because he was a genius. I later realized that was not the case. It was actually more as though we had our own world and that was a world he felt he couldn't or…that he didn't have any right to be included. So he would often just sit and watch us play together as if waiting for one of us to ask if he wanted to join in."

"Being a genius can be a lonely burden." April answered almost wistfully.

"Yeah…" Mikey answered "When he converted our old play room into his lab, there were times he would lock himself in there for days…even weeks"

"There have been numerous occasions where Raph or I have to literally have to drag him out of there just so he can get some sleep." Leo nodded "Or bring him some food to make sure he eats at least."

"Or doesn't do anything stupid like freeze to death…" Raph added. "That room is practically an ice box 'during the winter. I still shivering from having to pull him out of there that really bad winter two years ago."

"Dude," Mikey laughed. "You literally had to lay on top of him once he was on the couch."

"Still everything he builds or invents...even if it ends up falling apart or doesn't work the way it should…" Leo continued.

"It was always intended to help protect your family or help make thing easier." April finished. "And while the scraps and discarded parts he has to work with aren't what someone else would call ideal, he somehow is able to make it work."

"Come to think of it," Mike said as he sat up. "He's done a lot of stuff around here, if something breaks he fixes it, he's the reason we have working plumbing and electricity… he maintains a lot of the weapons we use so they don't break…"

"He also tends to our injuries…I don't know how many time's he's had to patch you up, Raph." Leo answered thoughtfully. "He's mediates some of our arguments, when we need to talk to someone…he's always there to listen. And he defends us and other innocent people from harm...that's actually how we first met you, April."

April blushed slightly at that comment. She had wondered what sort of twist of fate had lead the Turtles to come to her rescue that fateful night, she and her father were kidnapped by the Kraang. Everyone lapsed into reflective silence for a moment with only a small drip from the pipes overhead to break the stillness.

"And even now…he's fighting a losing battle to stop the Shredder from finding us." Leo said, relieving every one of the monotonous quiet. "I just…I just wish Donnie had left us some clue as to how he could be found." April suddenly gasped.

"Maybe he has," April said in a rush. "Maybe he has actually left us a clue…but we haven't realized it yet."

"What are you getting at exactly?" Raph asked.

"The tooth marks…the tooth marks that were imbedded in his bo staff." April said excitedly. "It's not a clue to his location, but it is a clue to help figure out who could lead us to him."

"That's great." Mikey exclaimed, with the most excitement he had had in the last few hours. "Now all we need to do is figure out what sort of teeth they're from."

"Actually from what I remember," April said. "They kinda looked like dogs teeth."

"And with the way the marks were spaced apart on the staff." Leo added catching on. "There is only one mutt who has a mouth that big."

"Dogpound!" They all said in unison.

* * *

"_Donnie…Donnie, wake up_." Donatello heard a familiar voice say as stirred slightly.

"_Come on, buddy._" A second voice spoke. "_We need to get you out of here!_" His brothers…, the voices of his brothers, had they found him at last.

Opening his eyes, Donatello was disappointed to find that his hopeful mind was playing tricks on him. One thing for certain he needed to get out of here one way or another. He wasn't sure how long he had been out, or away from the lair. How many hours did he have left? If it was day time the others would lose a number of precious hours to wait for night fall.

~_What if they haven't been looking for me?_~ Donnie thought to himself. ~_What if they haven't noticed I'm even gone?_~ He quickly shook his head to clear away these thoughts. Of course his family was looking for him, or at the very least trying to figure out how to find him. Shifting to a sitting position he closed his eyes and calmly breathed ~_Come on, Donatello. You are a ninja, and as Master Splinter said 'Nin' stands for patience and perseverance. You can't just sit and wait for your family to come to your rescue, you have figure out a way to get out of this on your own._~

His thoughts were interrupted by a flash, as blast of electricity arced down from the ceiling to the floor, followed by a loud boom of thunder. Donnie cringed in fright; the Shredder knew he was awake.

* * *

According to the clock it was twenty minutes until morning...and as Ninja's they needed to wait for the cover of night. Leo didn't relish the thought of leaving his brother to suffer these next hours in the hands of the Shredder, particularly since it lowered Donnie's chances of survival considerably. Knowing it couldn't be helped, Leo had told Raph and Mikey to return to their rooms and get what sleep they could. April placed a hand on Leo's shell in comfort, and met his worried ocean blue eyes with her own cerulean ones.

"When night falls," Leo said with a defeated tone to his voice. "We would have only five hours to find Dogpound, and force him to lead us to Donnie." April leaned her head against his arm, fighting back her own tears.

"You need to get some rest too." April said in an almost motherly command.

"I can't sleep." Leo answered. "Not while my younger brother needs me."

"Donnie is resourceful," April answered trying to ease her friend's troubled mind. "It's possible that he could have found a way out of this on his own."

"I would love to believe that is possible…" Leo answered. "But Shredder is also a master ninja…" He didn't need to finish the sentence. Even if Donnie managed to make successful attempt at escape, the Shredder was a foe who had more than just a few cards up his sleeve to make the young turtle regret the very idea.

"What I want to know is how the Foot knew Donnie would be in that junk yard." April sighed. "He's gone there hundreds of times before; they couldn't have found him there by chance. There has to be something…something we are missing or haven't considered yet."

April made her way to Donnie's lab, her eyes scanning everything as if taking in all the shadows and memories of that room. The place seemed so dead and sterile without the purple masked turtle, puttering about the room. The adorable way he would be hunched over his desk, his tongue partially sticking out of the side of his mouth as he mentally sorted through every probability, scenario, and flaw.

Her eyes turned to the Shellraiser, which was to date one of Donatello's greatest inventions. Sighing in frustration April leaned against Donnie's work table which shifted slightly under her weight, causing a ball point pen to roll off the table and under the Shellraiser. April had no idea why she decided to retrieve the pen, but she had an odd feeling she should. Kneeling down she reached for the object when she noticed a strange red light blinking on and off again, on one of the back wheels of the ShellRaiser. Carefully she removed source of a blinking light, which turned out to be a small metallic disk no bigger than her thumb nail. Her eyes widened as she clamped a hand over her mouth…softly and with great care she put the object on the work table before she left the lab closing the door behind her.

She saw Leo sitting in front of the TV blankly watching his copy of the Space Hero's movie 4.

_"Captain Ryan, it's Dr. Mindstrong! He's in the warp engine!" Crankshaw anxiously yelled. Captain Ryan's face of normally unbreakable calm faltered and he rushed to the warp engine. The purplish hands of Commander Grundch roughly grabbed hold of Captain Ryan to prevent it from approaching any further._

_"Let me go, Grundch." Captain Ryan commanded. "Dr. Mindstrong never gave up on me, I am not going to give up on him."_

_"He's good as dead already, Captain." Commander Grundch yelled. "There is nothing you can do." Captain Ryan stopped resisting and approached the containment unit for the Warp Engine where the green skinned alien looked on the verge of death. _

_"The…ship?" Dr. Mindstrong struggled to ask as he felt his body shutting down. _

_"It's out of danger." Captain Ryan answered._

_"Don't grieve " Dr. Mindstrong said, his words almost a dying plee. "I am… and always shall be…your friend. Farewell, Captain Ryan." With that the Dr. Mindstrong breathed his last slumping to the ground._

_"Of you my friend, I can only say this." Ryan said as he knelt by the containment. "Of all the alien life forms I have encountered in my life time…you were the one I was proud to think of as my brother."_

"Leo" Leonardo looked up at April, and noting the horrified look in her eyes.

"What's wrong April?" Leo asked in concern.

"I think I just found out how the Foot knew Donnie would in the Military Junkyard last night." April gasped.

* * *

Donnie perked his head up as he heard footsteps approaching his cell. It didn't sound like Dogpound, but no matter who it was. This was his only chance to attempt escape. His body protested in pain as he got up, and positioned himself in the Shadows close to the door. He knew his current injuries would hinder his escape. But if he could remain hidden long enough for the Foot to lose him he would have the opportunity to return to the sewers and reach the lair.

The door to the cell slipped open, as none other than the Shredder himself stalked into the room. His prowling tiger like gate, cautious as his single functioning eye glowered around the room looking for where his prisoner was hiding

"I know you're in here boy," The nemesis of Splinter growled. Donnie could feel himself shaking in fright as he his worst enemy slowly entered the room, scanning the shadows. Donnie made a dash for the door,slipping outside. Taking notice of the small console panel by the door, he pressed the large glowing button sealing the Shredder inside the metallic room. The Shredder roared like a maddened beast as the door to the cell slid shut. Donnie took advantage of the moment wasted no time in trying to put as much distance between himself and his father's enemy as he could.

"GET HIM!" The Shredder howled! Releasing the blades from his gauntlet he thrust them into the small crease that magnetically sealed the door in place. ~_Mark my words, boy!_~ He thought. _~When I get my hands on you! I will make you rue the day you were even hatched!~_


	6. The Rescue begins

Hostage Chapter 6

Donnie raced down the halls of the Foot Clan stronghold. Every one of his injuries painfully protested with every step. His muscles still felt numb from being electrocuted several times by the personal thunder storm that he had experienced in his cell, not more than an hour before the Shredder paid him a visit. It made actual movement difficult causing him to stumble and nearly collapse more than once.

In truth Donnie hadn't been able to do much to avoid the man-made lightning. His phobia of thunder kept him rooted to one spot, clutching his head in his hands as he curled in a ball and rocked himself trying to keep from panicking. His fear of thunder was a phobia he had had since he was ten years old…maybe longer than that. One fortunate thing about living in the sewers your whole life is that most of the time you weren't all that aware of the weather outside thankfully making thunderstorms a rare experience. But whenever one was bad enough, loud enough to echo through the tunnels of the sewers, he would freeze up in fright. To this day Leo was the only one who knew, and his older had always been there to comfort him, until now at least.

Up ahead, Donnie could see a door marked emergency exit. His vision was blurry from exhaustion and all the abuse he had undergone since his capture. But he could still make out the cautionary sticker on the doors push bar. 'WARNING: Emergency Exit, Alarm will sound.'

He could hear the Foot Soldiers several yards behind him while he raced to his freedom. This was his only chance, his only chance to return to his family. The emergency door was becoming closer…and closer. Donatello reached out to push through the door…he was actually going to make it. ~_Don't worry, Father…Leo…April…Mikey…Raph….I'll be home soon!~_

Then all he knew was pain as none other than the Shredder himself jumped in front of his path. The twin sets of pronged saber claw like blades and the tapered sword blades erupting from the gantlets attached to the amorally evil man's arms. Thrusting all six blades into both of Donatello's shoulders; tearing apart muscle and flesh, scraping across bone. Donatello felt the blades exit through the other side of his shoulders as he was driven backward until he could feel his shell pressed against a wall. The armored man wasn't done however as he twisted the blades painfully. Donnie screamed in as he felt the blades tearing his arms and shoulders apart, shredding through the tendons and ligaments. In his knowledge of medical practices this was bad, even if he was truly able to receive treatment by human Doctors. The damage could be enough to completely and permanently render his arms useless. And even if the damage could be fixed, he still wouldn't fight effectively alongside his brothers again.

The Shredder continued to tear his claws into the turtle's shoulders until both joints dislocated. He smirked as wrenched his blades free from Donnie's flesh allowing the teenage terrapin to fall to the ground. Placing a foot painfully on the Mutant Turtles shell he gave a growl that only promised more pain and suffering.

"I am losing my patience with you! Tell me where Hamato Yoshi and the Girl are hiding, Worm!"

* * *

Leonardo stormed into his younger brother's lab, grabbing the bug that April had placed on the work table. How long…how long had the Foot been listening to them? How many conversations had they overheard?

"This is Leonardo," He stated into the microphone. "My brothers and I know you have Donatello as you're prisoner. We demand that Dogpound AKA Chris Bradford meet us at the corner of 4th and Harrison, so he can lead us to where out brother is being held. No tricks. No traps."

That being said he crushed the small device in his hand. There was determination in Leo's stance; the tables were turning in their favor. Unfortunately there was no telling what condition Donnie would be in when all this was over. And should he survive his injuries how far will the damage extend. _~Don't worry Donnie…We'll be there soon. You're going to be alright, Otouto-Chan.~_

"Raph, Mikey!" Leo called out as he left the lab. "Get up, we're going topside to get Donnie!"

"You found Donnie?!" Mikey asked excitedly.

'"Hey, what about all the waiting for night fall crap." Raph smirked. "We're Ninja's remember, we stick to the shadows."

"Donnie may not have until night fall." Leo answered as he grabbed his Katana. "We have no choice."

Splinter left the dojo his burnt-sienna eyes a mixture of happiness that his third eldest son was to be found and returned. But concern as to what sort of danger his other sons would be entering.

"So how exactly we're you able to find where Donnie is being hidden?" Raph answered somewhat dubiously.

"It was April, who deserves the credit actually." Leo answered. "Apparently the Foot found out Donnie would be alone in that junk yard, because they had somehow managed to plant a listening device on the Shellraiser. So I used it to demand that Dogpound met us at 4th and Harrison, so that he can lead us to where Donnie is being kept."

"Be careful my sons," Splinter answered. "This very well could be a trap."

"We understand, Sensei." Leo answered putting a hand on his father's shoulders. Both of them knowing that even though they should hope for the best they also must prepare themselves for the worst.

"Hang on a moment." April stated as she raced into Donnie's lab a moment. There was the sound of her shifting through several drawers and equipment before she finally seemed to find what she was looking for. She came out holding a small tablet like object with a flat circuit board like card sticking out of the top. She at once handed the object to Leo "Here, this may be helpful."

"Um…thanks." Leo answered not really understanding what the object was.

"It's Donnie's digital lock pick." April answered. "He once told me there isn't an electronic lock on earth that it couldn't crack. I figured it might help."

"Oh wow," Mikey said in awe as he looked at the object with glee. "I'd gotta ask Donnie to let me borrow it some time."

"Sure…" Leo smiled at April in gratitude, inwardly grateful for his younger brother's resourcefulness. "I'm sure that this will be a big help."

"Let's go 'Ladies'!" Raph yelled from the turn styles. "It's Donnie's life were wasting here!"

"I'll help Splinter prepare for your return." April answered.

"Sure thing April," Leo answered as he raced after his brothers. "We'll keep you informed about…if it's bad." April nodded in understanding as her the three friends hoped into to the Shellraiser and took off.

* * *

The Shredder growled angrily as he paced his throne room. Donatello had been imprisoned once again, and this time while he was not likely to escape, given the extent of his physical injuries. But just to be on the safe side he was chained to the wall. Even though the boy was nearly three quarters dead, he still refused to be broken…there had to be some way to loosen the boys tongue.

There had been no reports about the other three turtles let alone Hamato Yoshi looking for their lost ally, nor have the turtles agreed to surrender their master and the girl in exchange. While he had known that they wouldn't give in to his demands, the other turtles cared too much about one another to leave one of their own as lost. The buzz of his communicator attracted his attention. Yanking it from his belt he snarled at the unfortunate at the other end of the line.

"This had better be important!" He growled. The Shredder's irritation however lessened as he heard the report of Leonardo's demands. "So Leonardo wants Bradford to lead him to their brother, excellent this way I can rid myself off them, all at once. Once they are out of the way, there will be nothing to stop me from finding my old friend."

* * *

"_Donnie…Donnie._" Donnie could hear someone calling his name as if from a distance. He wanted to open his eyes, but he felt light headed and weak. Both his arms shoulders were screaming in pain and something was closing around his neck cutting off his wind pipe.

"_Hey, Donnie…wake up dude._"

Opening his eyes he found he was locked in a cell again. Odds were very likely that is was not the one he was trapped in before. This time however Shredder had him tied with chains to the wall, which dug painfully into his wrists and limited circulation. But the chains only added to the pain coming from his dislocated shoulders which were wrenched over his head as they suspended his weight only a scant number if inches from the ground. The light headedness coming from the loss of blood that was steadily and languidly spilling from the stab wounds in his shoulders. His beaten and blooded body desired rest, however the chain that was cruelly wound around his neck prevented that. Every time his head fell forward in exhaustion the chain would start to close around his throat forcing him to fight to stay awake. What was worse is the room was chilled like he was trapped inside a freezer, and being cold blooded the dropping temperature of the room combined with his fading body heat was a fatal combination. If he didn't get out soon, he would be dead within the hour.

"So you're finally awake." The Shredder growled over the speaker. Donnie wanted to retort, but his mind was too exhausted to come up with anything particularly cutting. Shredder instead of growling in anger gave a sickeningly confident laugh as though he was amused by a private joke.

"You might be interested in knowing that your brothers are on their way." Shredder said. Donnie at once looked hopeful, but that soon passed into alarm. His brothers were walking into a trap, and they were no doubt aware of it too.

"Your brother Leonardo, demanded that I allow Bradford meet them and lead them here to you." Shredder continued to gloat as if the whole concept was his idea. Until he paused a pregnant moment, Donatello wondered if the Shredder had been called away. He soon found out why as the Shredder himself stalked into the room.

"This is your last chance." Shredder snarled. "I'm sure you know your brothers are walking into a trap. This is your last opportunity to tell me where your master is located. If you don't tell me the answers I want, then I will just have to convince your brothers to tell me."

Donatallo knew he couldn't reveal the lair...but he couldn't let his brothers be hurt either. Scanning his mind what he remembered of the sewers…where could he send Shredder that would appease him but still lead him far enough away from the Lair. Then he remembered some place that could work, the place where they fought had encountered the Rat King.

"Alright…" Donnie said trying to keep up a pretense of defeat. His throat felt parched and as dry as sand paper, his tongue leaden in his mouth. "Our lair is…our lair is located in an abandoned utility junction underneath herald square."

"Thanks." The Shredder answered with a satisfied smirk before unsheathing the claw like blades from one of his gantlets, and ramming them through Donnie's plastron. Blood filled Donnie's mouth as he felt the blades pierce his stomach. Without remorse or pity the Shredder left the cell pulling out his communicator.

"Send an army of foot soldiers to the abandoned utility junction at herald square." Shredder commanded. "Capture anyone you see and report anything you find. And as for our guest in containment cell 245, lower the temperature further."

"My lord, the turtles are here." A voice cracked over the communicator.

"Excellent." The Shredder smirked as he armed a small detonation device for five minutes. "Once their inside electronically seal the doors, don't let them escape."

**This is the shortest chapter I've written for this fic yet, but it's not over yet. Thank you to everyone who has been following & favoriting this this fic, and big thanks for the 15 reviews I have received thus far.**


	7. Lost and Found

Leo parked the Shellraiser in an alley before they scaled the wall of a tall building overlooking 4th and Harrison. As if on cue they saw Dogpound standing in wait, the humongous dog like mutant had to move further into an alley to avoid being seen by the human populous of the city. Leo felt a natural sense of unease about the situation. He knew well that they were walking into a trap; why else would Shredder be so willing to let his henchman meet them.

However it wasn't what the Shredder had planned for them that worried him. What truly had him concerned was what sort of condition their brother would be in when they found him. If the Shredder had been so willing to follow the young leaders demands, that meant that Donatello was no longer of any use or worse yet Donatello had finally revealed where the lair was. Raph came up beside his older brother, his green eyes meeting Leo's worried ocean blue ones and nodding in understanding.

"Be ready for anything!" Leo told his remaining two brothers.

"Right!" Raph and Mikey said in unison; before the three of them dropped down to face the larger mutant, weapons at the ready.

"Alright Dogpound," Leo demanded as he pointed his Katana at the former martial arts instructor. "You're going to lead us to Donatello right now."

"That is unless you want to do this the hard way," Raphael added fingering one his sai menacingly. "Which is fine by me!"

"My orders were to take you to where your brother is kept." Dogpound grumbled with a smirk. "Not that there will much of him left for you freaks to save."

"What?! NO!" Mikey cried out.

"Oh thats it!" Raph snarled as he pulled out both sai. "I'm gonna make a fur coat out of you, you overgrown hair ball." Leo roughly grabbed his immediate younger brother preventing him from making any attempts on the mutant dog's life.

"Calm down, Raphael." Leo commanded.

"You heard what he said…" Raph countered.

"Yes, I heard." Leo answered though it was clear in his voice that he wanted to join Raph and make the Shredder and his followers pay for what they have done to their brother. "But giving him a beat down isn't going to get us to Donnie any faster.

"Just follow me." Dogpound answered with a growl.

"I'm going on foot to make sure your leading us to the right place." Raph answered.

"Mikey and I will follow in the Shellraiser." Leo added. "Once we get Donnie, we're going need to…"

"Get the Shell out'a there?" Mikey answered making his brothers slap a hand over their faces at the over used pun.

"That wasn't what I was going to say." Leo's protested as he got and Mikey scaled the wall of the building and dropped down into the alley where they hid the Shellraiser.

"I didn't appreciate your brother shoving his staff into my mouth." Dogpound growled as he raced down the maze of side streets and alley ways that made up the city.

"Yeah yeah," Raph growled in irritation as he ran behind the mutant dog. "If Donnie's still alive, we'll make sure he gives you a written apology."

Leo in the meantime quietly followed behind in the Shellraiser, he silently prayed that Dogpound was only exaggerating in order to distract them. However larger mutant's words only managed to increase his anxiety further. ~_Hang on, Donnie. We're almost there._~ Mikey had also lapsed into worried silence from where he was sitting looking at the city map.

"Leo," Raph called over his T-phone, which had Leo had placed beside him on speaker mode. "Dogpound says it's the third warehouse on your right. It used to be a scientific research facility which is now being used by get this…the Kraang." Leo was so startled he nearly lost control of the Shellraiser.

"The Foot and the Kraang are in allegiance!?" Leo demanded, a sick twist suddenly came to his stomach. The Foot and the Kraang were both hard to deal with individually, but having the two groups together that spelled disaster. Pulling into an alley way close by, Leo turned to his youngest brother.

"Mikey I need you to do something for me." The blue banded turtle said. "Remain here, and be prepared to take off in the stealth bike the moment I contact you and head to the lair. Be sure to remain in stealth mode so you aren't spotted"

"Alright…" Michelangelo answered. "And what should I tell Master Splinter and April?"

"Just tell them, Raph and I have Donnie and we will be there shortly." Leo answered as he leapt out of the Shellraiser and joined up with his immediate younger sibling.

"You're leaving Mikey alone in the Shellraiser?" Raph asked noting his older brother was alone.

"We don't know what Donnie's going to be like when we get to him." Leo answered. "Mikey, shouldn't have to see that."

"Geeze Leo, we may as well have left him back at the lair." Raph groused. "But thanks…I wouldn't want him to see the little dork to see Donnie either, not after all this."

"We're family Raph." Leo said placing a hand on Raph's shoulder. "Our kid brothers need us."

"He's right through here," Dogpound said with a sneer as he opened the door. The Blue and Red masked turtles traveled to into the facility. To both teens it felt a bit unnerving to notice there were no Foot soldiers or Kraang Bots present, not even the Shredder himself. Passing through one corridor, Leo was shocked and dismayed to see a sizeable puddle of blood on the ground as well as six indentions the concrete wall. Blood was tracked down the concrete from the indentions almost as though the wall itself was bleeding.

"Is that…?" Raph asked getting an odd queasy feeling in his stomach.

"Your brother made an escape attempt a few hours ago." Dogpound said with a laugh which caused both Leo and Raph to glare daggers at him. "Let's just say that Master Shredder wasn't all that happy about it. I will admit to giving your brother some credit for having the guts or should I say the stupidity to make the attempt."

The group traveled in silence momentarily, until they arrived at armor plated door with the numbers 245 spray painted in blocky black numbers.

"And here we are." Dogpound responded with a slight smirk. Leo stood stock still holding his katana at the ready.

"Raph, check to see if it's really him." Leo ordered his eyes not wavering from Dogpound's red eyes. The blue banded turtle nearly lost his focus on the mutant dog when he heard a horrified gasp coming from his younger brother. Raph verified everything to him with a haunted look in his eyes that yes their brother was behind that door.

"It's too dark in there to see him all that well." Raph answered. "But the room is freezing cold and oh gods I think he may actually be..."

Leo's eyes hardened to two disks of blazing sapphire, wanting nothing more than to bury his swords into the Shredder's black soulless heart.

"Open it." Leo demanded to the large mutant. However his command only caused Dogpound to burst into laughter.

"I was ordered to lead you here." Dogpound growled. "I wasn't ordered to let you leave alive." Slamming the his huge paw onto the large button to the cells entry console crushing it and the console, the words '30 seconds to cell detonation' flashed in red on the broken screen.

"No! Donnie!" Raph yelled and vainly tried pry open the door with his bare hands. While Dogpound raced down the hall way.

"See you in hell freaks!" He called back.

* * *

"WHAT?!" Shredder demanded into his communicator. "The location is EMPTY!?" The armored man angrily roared into the night. He should have suspected the boy had supplied him with a false location. A loud blast in the distance however caused him to smirk triumphantly. At least the followers of his enemy would no longer be a problem, so maybe things weren't a total loss.

* * *

Leo was in a panic of what to do, the door to the cell was magnetically sealed, and there was no time to try and manually pick the lock as the clock clicked down to 15 seconds. That's when he noticed a small message under the countdown sequence. 'Please insert key card to disable detonation.' Taking out Donatello's digital lock pick he slipped the card end into the key card slot which was fortunately in tact.

7…~_Why isn't it working?_~ 6…Processing card 5…~_Come on…come on_~ 4…3…Card accepted. The door to the cell slid open with a hiss.

"DONNIE!" Raph yelled as he rushed into the cell. Leo entered the cell, his eyes widening in horrified shock to see his second brother. The darkness of the cell made it hard to see what condition his brother was in, but he knew it was bad…very very bad.

"Raph, get out of the way!" He yelled as he raced into the room and sliced through the chains suspending his Donatello against the wall. The red banded turtle caught hold of the taller body of his immediate younger brother as it slumped nearly lifeless to the ground. The chains around his wrists slipping off, while Raph pulled away the one that was wrapped around his brother's neck. Raph notice immediately that Donnie's shoulders were pulled back in an odd way, possibly dislocated. And his skin was not only cold to the touch, it was slick and sticky with a substance that had the all too familiar smell of blood.

"We need to get out of here." Leo answered as he draped Donatello's form over his shell. "We'll check on him once we get to the Shellraiser." Raph nodded as he quickly made sure their brainiac brother was secure before they left the cell room.

Racing through the hallways they saw a door up ahead; however the object next to the door caused their faces to turn nearly grey with alarm. Beside the door was a small yellow box saying '1:30' and counting down.

"Raph." Leo answered as he raced to the door. Raph at once slammed at the door, also sealed shut.

"Stand back, Leo." Raph yelled as he walked away from the door several paces, before racing at the sealed entry way his entire weight and strength slamming against the obstacle in their path. Breaking the door and forcing it to swing open. Two boys at once rushed as far as they could from the warehouse making their way to where the Shellraiser was parked, before the force of the blast from the exploding building pitched them forward on to the street. The first thing Leo heard when he got his senses back was the sound of his T-Phone.

"Guys! What's going on? Are you alright?" A panicked sounding Michelangelo asked. "What happened?"

"We're fine, Mikey." Leo answered. "We've got Donnie."

"You have Donnie?!" Mikey cheered at the other end of the phone.

"Don't celebrate too quickly." Leo cautioned "Remember what I told you to do when I left the Shellraiser?"

"You said..." Michelangelo tried to remember what he was supposed to do. "Get in the stealth bike and go inform Splinter that you are right behind me."

"Yes." Leo answered glad Mikey was focused enough to understand his task. "Can you do that for me? Raph and I will be right behind you."

"Sure thing boss," Mikey answered. In moments, they saw Mikey taking off on the stealth bike before the shell like panels closed over their youngest brother making him seem to vanish into nothing.

* * *

April paced the common room in concern when she heard what sounded like a motorcycle pull up just outside the bay doors of Donatello's laboratory, and Michelangelo's childish face appeared at the turn styles.

"Where are Leo and the others?" She asked with some concern, as Splinter came out of the lab/infirmary. The look on his face knowing well that if his youngest son was the first to return then things were as bad as he had feared.

"Leo and Raph have Donnie, and they said they would be right behind me." Mikey answered.

"Thank you Michelangelo." Splinters smiled in appreciation, "Do you mind showing April some of your comic books?" April immediately understood the underlying message in Splinter's voice. They were trying to protect the innocent orange banded turtle from seeing the damage done to Donatello's body.

"Oh yes…" April answered forcing a smile on her face. "Yes Mikey, I think there are some comic books that you got recently, why don't we go look at them in your room."

"You sure?" Mikey asked. "I don't really have any comic books that girl friendly, they're all blood, gore, and zombies."

"Great…" April said trying to get the smaller turtle out away from the common area and into the dormitories where the turtles lived and slept. "I love zombies."

"Wow" Mikey's eyes grew anime wide as he pulled her into a bear hug. "So do I. We have so much in common."

* * *

Leo and Raph had forced themselves not to look at or examine Donatello's injuries until they got to the Shellraiser. They needed some place safe, quiet, and inconspicuous in order to assess their brother's injuries. They knew what they would find would be painful, but nothing could have prepared them for what they the full extent of Donatello's injuries as they laid him out along the floor of the Shellraiser.

There was hardly an inch of Donatello's olive green skin that wasn't broken, bruised, battered, or burnt. Some injuries were crusty with several layers of blood. Majority of the blood covering their brother's body seamed to languidly seeping two large holes in the flesh of their brothers shoulders. Injuries they knew he had to have received when he had attempted to escape. Leo gingerly looked at how much the damage in Donatello's shoulders and he could feel his heart break. The muscles and tendons underneath the skin were a shredded mess, even if Splinter could repair the damage. He wouldn't be able to completely repair all this.

And what was even more sickening was the two large puncture wounds that were located over Donatello's stomach causing blood to dribble out of his mouth. The wound wasn't made all that long ago, so it would be possible for it to heal. But that only depended on whether or not any of Donnie's other internal organs were punctured as well.

Donnie's body was icy cold to the touch, his skin taking an almost death like pallor while his lips had turned an almost blueish-teal tinge. While being nearly frozen had managed to slow the blood flow from Donnie's body, but there was no telling how much blood he had truly lost, and how much more he would lose while his injuries were being tended to.

Leo reached out and touched his second brother's throat, trying to feel for a pulse. At first he couldn't find one, panicked he kept checking not wanting to believe Donatello was dead. Finally when he was just about ready to give up he detected a faint trace of life. It was weak and thready but it was enough to give them some hope.

"Raph, do you mind taking the wheel." Leo asked as he pulled Donatello into his arms so that his younger brothers head was resting on his shoulder. "I'm going to try passing my body heat to him, it won't be much but it could help until Splinter can help him."

"Sure thing." Raph answered placing a hand on both of his brothers shoulders before he got behind the wheel and carefully pulled out of the alley way made his way to the lair. ~_Hang on Donnie, your almost home._~

Leo closed his eyes, trying to focus all energy into keeping his brothers body warm. All though unconscious, Donnie curled into his eldest brothers arms as if subconsciously sensing he was with someone familiar. Despite his injuries he almost seemed calm and serene as though asleep. But the slight way his eye lids were twitching belayed the pain the teenage terrapin was feeling as his body began to thaw.

"Otouto-chan... Anata wa anzendesu." (Little brother, you are safe now.) Leo softly whispered trying to quell some of his brothers suffering. Donnie whispered a single word in response in a voice that was as small and broken as a young child's. The word was so soft it Leo wasn't sure if he heard it at first, but as it continued to ring through his ears, a tear rand down Leo's face.

"An..i,,ki"


	8. Renewed Hope

April and Mikey heard the sound of the Shellraiser parking outside, it had been at least fifteen maybe twenty minutes since youngest of the four turtles had first arrived. Splinter had remained in the common area anticipating their arrival. It didn't take long for the human girl and young turtle to make out the forms of Leo and Raphael came down the stairs carefully cradling something large between them, as though moving something very fragile.

Both April or Mikey knew it was Donnie they were carrying, but couldn't see how bad Donnie's injuries were. Splinter rushed forward as soon as his two eldest son's descended the stairs, bending over the person carried prone between them before rushing the two boys to Donnie's lab which doubled as an infirmary.

"Donnie!" Michelangelo yelled when he caught sight of his elder brother and closest friend as he rushed down to the lab.

"Mikey wait." April said as she tried to grab the youngest turtle. Unfortunately Mikey effortlessly jumped from the dormitory landing to the floor of the common area. However Raph was prepared as he let Leo and Splinter carry Donatello the rest of the way into the infirmary.

"Sorry Mikey, no entry." Raph said as he blocked the door to the lab with his shell.

"But I want to see if Donnie's okay." Mikey answered.

"Trust me, when I say 'You don't want to go in there.'" Raph said as he turned towards his brother causing Mikey to see the blood that was splashed on his plastron. "It's not a pretty sight."

"But..." Mike said as he looked as though he was about to cry. Raph sighed and put a hand on his youngest brother's shoulder.

"I know you're worried about Don," Raph answered trying to be comforting. "All I can tell you is that when Leo and I found him…he was in really bad shape. In fact I'm surprised he's even still alive at this point. So I'm telling you as your brother and your friend that you don't want to go in there. The best thing you can do for Donnie-boy is staying out here and hope that he will be able to pull through."

"Raph can you get a bowl of warm water and a towel." Leo called from where he was in the midst of tearing a sheet into strips to make bandages.

"I'll do that." April said as she made her way to the kitchen. "I want to be some help, anyway." Grabbing a large mixing bowl from one of the cabinet shelves, she turned on the sink she let it run until the water was a warm enough temperature. Filling the bowl with the water she returned to Raph who already had a few wash cloths in hand.

"Um…thanks." Raphael answered trying to sound appreciative of the human girl's assistance. His concerned green eyes traveled to younger brother who had flopped down on of the bean bag chairs in the pit. "Could…could you look after Mikey for a while we're tending to Donnie? I think he needs someone right now." April nodded in understanding and went to sit beside the young turtle who was lying on his plastron looking teary eyed. With a sigh Raph closed the door to the lab and walked to where Splinter and Leo were hovering over Donatello.

* * *

Donatello had been placed on a futon bed that was often times used as a medical cot during moments more intense medical purposes were required. Splinter had once used that cot as a bed when they had been very small children. And Donnie had been tucked into it whenever he was found passed out asleep in the lab.

Right now Donnie was laying on it still as death; he hardly looked like he was breathing. Leo was kneeling one side of the bed holding their younger brothers hand. His blue eyes focus worriedly on Donatello's seemingly unconscious form. Splinter knelt on Donatello's other side examining Donatello's shoulder wounds, the wise rat had set up small number of space heaters to add to a level of warmth to the room. No doubt in effort to help bring up Donatello's body temperature.

"Here's the water you asked for." Raph answered as he placed down the bowl of water and towels.

"Thank you, my son." Splinter answered as he took one of the washcloths and placed it to soak in the water. Raphael started to take a seat close to Splinter, however before he could get settled on the floor Splinter turned to his eyes towards him.

"Before I can start healing your brother's injuries, you two must unfortunately cause him some further pain." Splinter stated regretfully.

"No way, don't you think Donnie's been through enough." Raphael protested.

"Raph, help me get Donnie to a sitting position." Leo said as he carefully placed a hand under Donatello's shell. Raph assisted at once followed Leonardo's lead and carefully lifted up their brothers body so that he was able to sit on the mattress with their support.

"The Shredder dislocated Donnie's shoulder joints," Leo continued. "So we need to replace them before anything can be done with his shoulder injuries. Unfortunately doing that is a painful process."

"Well fortunately Donnie's unconscious," Raph answered. "He won't feel a thing."

"Actually, he's not." Leo corrected.

"Say what?" Raph asked in concern.

"Your brother in a state between wakefulness and unconsciousness," Splinter explained. "While he physically appears to be unconscious, he is still able to feel the pain."

"I'm very sorry about this Donnie, we'll make it quick." Leo softly said to his second brother. "All right, on three…THREE!" The two boys pulled hard on their younger brothers dislocated shoulders. Donatello's went ridged with pain as the appendages reset themselves into their sockets with a painful sounding crack. The worst of it over Donatello's head fell backwards against his older brother's arms. Carefully Leo and Raph lowered their brother gently back on to the futon mattress below him. Splinter placed a gentle hand on his injured son's forehead.

"I know the pain is great, my son." Splinter softly said to the semiconscious turtle. "Please let me help you ease your mind from this suffering. Just listen to my voice; you are falling into a deep slumber. There is nothing around you but peace, all pain you feel is an illusion. Separate your mind from this illusion and allow it to drift." As if in response Donnie seemed to physically relax and even his eye lids ceased all movement as he fell into the peaceful embrace of healing sleep.

"Donnie?" Raph asked in concern as his brothers body seemed to wilt onto the mattress.

"Let your brother rest now." Splinter said. "He has a long and arduous battle ahead in order to recover from all that has happened. This state will help me tend to his injuries."

"Will he be alright?" Leo asked in concern.

"It is too soon to tell, Leonardo." Splinter sighed. "He has lost a good deal of blood and the damage to his body and spirit is immense. I will do what I can, but I can't guarantee his survival."

"Do you need us for anything?" Raph asked.

"No…" Splinter answered. "You two should cleanse your bodies and rest. If you must do something for your brother, pray he is able to find the strength to return to us."

Raph and Leo got up feeling useless in the current situation. Before following Raph out the door of the lab, he placed a hand lightly against the side of Donatello's face.

"We aren't going anywhere, Donnie. We'll just be outside." He softly whispered as left the room.

* * *

April and Michelangelo looked up as if expecting the two older turtles to have news.

"Splinter's working on him." Raph simply said, his body shaking with a mixture of grief, anger, and frustration. "We don't know if he'll make it."

"Noo!" April gasped as tears slipped down her face, she held Mikey close as he started to cry.

"Donnie will pull through." Leo said with determination. "We have to have faith that he will survive this."

Raph said nothing in response as he stalked to the bathing room. Leo sighed sadly before turning his attention to April and his youngest brother.

"You two should get some rest. It's been a rough day for all of us." He answered.

"If it's all the same to you…I want to stay out here and wait to see if he's okay." April answered. Leonardo nodded in understanding before following his first brother to the bathing room.

* * *

The bath was formerly a women's public toilet back when the lair had been a subway station. Being a family of five men, the room had been converted into a largish Japanese style bath. Complete with showers and a large soaking tub big enough to hold two turtles comfortably or all four though that was a little too cozy at times. Particularly since Raph and Mikey had a tendency to rough house in the bath.

Taking of their belts, masks, elbow pads, knee pads, and anything else that counted as clothes and placing them in their designated cubbies before grabbing a small plastic stool and placing it at one of the showers they began the process of washing away their younger brothers blood from him their bodies.

Leonardo believed he would never be free of the nauseating scent of blood. No matter how hard he scrubbed at his plastron and applied soap his nostrils still could detect the bitter metallic scent of blood. Opening he watched the last traces of Donatello's blood swirl down the drain, almost feeling as if it was own brothers life slipping away. A sniveling sound caught his attention, glancing to the side he noticed Raphael holding an arm in front of his eyes as if he was trying to hide the storm of emotion raging with in him.

"Raph?" Leo asked in concern. "Are you…crying?"

"No!" Raph answered as he turned his eyes to Leo. "I just got soap in my eyes."

"It's okay to cry, Raph." Leo answered placing a hand on his younger brother's shoulder.

"I'm not crying..." Raph insisted still trying to scrabble away any offending liquid from his eyes. "It's just…I can't see how Donnie deserved that! To be beaten and chained up like an animal."

"He didn't, Raph." Leo answered as he turned off the shower water and knelt down in front of his younger brother. "Donnie, didn't deserve any of it. If anyone deserves to be locked away with little to no hope of escape, it's the Shredder and his followers. He's the one who desires to hunt down our family and destroy us, for what…a fifteen year old vendetta."

"When I get my hands on Shredder," Raph added his hands clinching to fists. "He's going to need a breathing tube when I'm done with him."

"In good time, Raph." Leo answered solemnly as he hugged his brother. "We'll have our chance to get back at the Shredder and make him pay for all he's done. But right now, we need to be there for Donnie. He's going to need us to help him through all that's happened."

"Yeah…" Raph said as he hugged Leo back tears falling unheeded down each other's faces, both boys finding comfort in each other's grief.

* * *

"This is Carlos Chang O'Brian Gambe at channel 6 news. There was an explosion at scientific research facility owned by TCRI, on the Lower East Side of Manhattan around ten this morning. Miraculously no one was in the building at the time the explosion occurred. TCRI had declined any comment about the incident…"

Shredder eyes narrowed in irritation as he shut off the TV, his hand angrily crushing the remote control in his fist. Once again the turtles had foiled his plans, they were still alive and he was nowhere closer to finding Hamato Yoshi. He had made one small victory, one of the turtles was mortally wounded and not likely to survive. But he would find not pleasure until all of the Ninja Turtles were confirmed dead at his hands. Retracting his claws he let out an angered roar into his empty study.

* * *

The rest of the day and evening passed at a snail's pace. April and the three turtle brothers waited anxiously in the pit for news about their brothers condition. All eyes focused on the Lab doors, hoping that Splinter would come out and tell them the good news. It was close to nine in the evening when Splinter left the lab. The wizened rat sighed in exhaustion as he sadly placed a paw like hand over his eyes.

"Master Splinter…?" Leo asked. Raph, Mikey, and April all looked up anxiously.

"I have…" Splinter gave an exhausted sigh. "Done what I am able to do for Donatello, at this time. I am afraid it may not be enough. Given the extent of his injuries and blood loss, it's a miracle he's still alive at this time."

"But he will be okay, right?" Mikey asked his adoptive father. Splinter shook his head sadly.

"If he survives the rest of the night, we may have more reason to hope." Splinter answered, his tufted ears dropping sorrowfully.

"Can we see him at least?" Leo asked. Splinter nodded in agreement. Quietly the three turtles and the human girl entered the room and approached the futon cot. Donnie still looked deathly still lying on the cot. The one difference in that the head side of the futon had been propped up, several pillows had been placed under Donatello's shell giving him an illusion of a waking sit. Both arms rested in a sling across his chest. That along with the bandages around his shoulders and torso he almost looked like an Egyptian mummy. Most of the space heaters had been removed leaving only one in use. A large comforter had been placed over Donatello's body in an effort to keep him warm.

Leo cautiously approached the bed as if afraid it would burst into a funeral pyre at any moment. Against the stark whiteness of the cot and the pillows and even comforter made the tall frame his genius brother appear small and fragile. Mikey and April rushed to the futon and knelt beside it.

"Donnie…" Mikey whimpered as if hoping Donatello would open his eyes by hearing his voice. April vainly tried to suppress a sob as tears slipped out of her eyes. Her mind couldn't process that anyone could be capable of such inhuman cruelty. She knew there had where people who were capable of such evil in human history. But it was easier to digest when it was in a text book or a movie. Something that she could distance her mind from. It was a different when it was in front of her very eyes especially when the said acts of cruelty were done to someone she valued as a friend.

Raph's green eyes blazed with anger and sadness over what had been done to his brother. As well as a sense of guilt, he felt guilty wasn't there to protect his brother from this. He felt guilty he couldn't prevent this from happening to Donnie, guilty for picking on Donatello for being a weaker fighter for all these years. ~Don, if you live through this. I'll be a better brother to you, I promise.~

Leo's eyes didn't waver from Donatello's face, taking in the bruises, the cuts, the gashes the long bruise that wound about his brother's neck in the shape of a chain. As if to confirm it for himself he felt his brother's neck once again seeking a pulse and found the weak and unsteady throbbing beneath his fingers.

"My sons, April…" Splinter answered from the door way. "It's best we let Donatello rest now." Obediently although reluctantly April, Raph, and Michelangelo stepped out of the lab the two turtle boys only going as far as the pit area couches. Leo on the other hand remained in vigil by his second younger brother's side. April however walked to her room.

"Leonardo," Splinter answered. "It's time for you to rest as well."

"Hai, Sensei." Leo answered. "But I feel I should be here. Donnie's always looked after us when we have been sick or injured in the past. I feel I should stay here and watch over him as he sleeps."

"He's not alone bro," Raph called from the pit. "We're all camping out over here."

"Hey April, what are you doing?" Michelangelo asked as April returned to the lab dressed in her pajamas and carrying her tatami mat.

"The four of you used to sleep in this room." April said as she spread out the mat on the floor. "When the four of you were small children, remember." Leo smiled at April before getting up and retrieving his tatami mat from his room.

"We haven't done that since we were five?" Raph answered.

"Just like old times, right bro." Michelangelo grinned smirked before rushing off to collect his sleeping mat. "But you can sleep out here if you want." Raph didn't bother with a comeback; instead he just shook his head and went to get his own tatami mat.

* * *

Leo awoke hours later to the snores and murmurings of his siblings as he found himself on the floor of Donatello's lab. He was trying to rub away the grit from his eyes when he heard the sound of April crying. Sitting up he found the red haired girl, her arms wrapped around Donatello's torso, her shoulder's heaving as tears raced down her face.

Fearing the worst Leo glanced at Donatello only to find nothing seemed to have changed. Donnie still had the death like pallor and he still didn't appear to be breathing. Sadly he put his hand on Aprils head, letting her know he shared her grief. To his surprise she when she looked up at him, her eyes held renewed hope as a smile crossed her face.

"He's alive, Leo." She softly answered. "He's still with us." Leo at once checked his brother pulse and his heart skipped a beat finding it to be true. The throb in his brother's neck was still weak, but it's held a renewed strength. A smile crept his way across his face in relief as he also felt a renewed sense of hope for his brother's recovery. It would still be a long time before Donatello would be fully recovered, but they would get through it together because they were a family.

**And this concludes hostage. Thank you to everyone who has been reading and enjoying this fic. While Donnie's still hanging on, he's not completely out of the woods yet so there may be a sequel coming soon. As always I appreciate the comments and reviews. **


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